This week finds three live streaming jazz events worth considering. This is our inaugural Jazz Stream column with performances for you to enjoy July 14th – July 16th.
Dan Tepfer/Aaron Diehl Two Piano Concert – July 15th – 3:00 PM EDT/12:00 PM PDT
Strictly speaking this is not going to be just a jazz concert. The program by these two pianists will include original compositions by each musician, works by Philip Glass and György Ligeti, plus selections from the Great American Songbook.
I’ve written about Diehl before. He’s equally comfortable playing classical music and playing jazz. I’ve seen him as a soloist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and as part of Cécile McLorin Salvant’s band.
Dan Tepfer I wasn’t familiar with before hearing about this online concert. But a quick review of his recordings makes it easy for me to say he’s a very good musician whose ability to create complex arrangements that still fully let the theme of a given song stay out front makes him quite interesting.
Diehl and Tepfer have performed two-piano concerts before. This will be the first time they do it virtually from separate locations.
Tickets for the concert are $5 and must be purchased in advance in order to get the link to the live event.
Dezron Douglas, Cyrus Chestnut & Victor Lewis Live at Smalls – July 15th – 7:45 PM EDT/4:45 PM PDT
Bass player Dezron Douglas reunites his one member of his trio from the 2012 Venus Records album Walkin’ My Baby Back Home. That trio included pianist Cyrus Chestnut and drummer Lewis Nash. Drummer Victor Lewis will be joining Douglas and Chestnut as they perform live from New York jazz institution Smalls on Wednesday, July 15th.
Douglas, who has long been a member of Cyrus Chestnut’s band, is an in-demand bass player. He has four recordings of his own that have been released. Additionally he has performed and recorded with such artists as Pharoah Sanders, Ravi Coltrane, Mulgrew Miller, Lewis Nash, Kevin Mahogany, Kenny Garrett, Eric Reed and The Marsalis Family.
I first became aware of Cyrus Chestnut when I picked up his 1996 album Earth Stories. I’ve been a fan ever since. In addition to his 22 albums under his own name, he’s performed with Gerald Albright, Kathleen Battle, Dee Dee Bridgewater, James Carter, Elvis Costello, Roy Hargrove, Bette Midler, Jimmy Scott and many more.
Lewis has four albums as a leader. He has performed with countless other musicians including Chestnut, John Abercrombie, Andy Bey, James Carter, Stan Getz, Dexter Gordon, Abbey Lincoln, Cedar Walton and more people than could be listed here.
All three musicians also teach. No doubt they’ll teach us a few things with this performance. The performance is free, but does require registering your e-mail and opening an account with Smalls.
Billie Holiday’s “Lady in Satin“ – Jazz Record Art Collective – July 16th – 7:00 PM EDT/4:00 PM PDT
1958’s Lady in Satin proved to be the next to last recording made by Billie Holiday in her lifetime. How one perceives the album is predicated on their view of Holiday and her life. Either the album reflected her status as a broken woman whose finer singing days were behind her or it is viewed as an album where she puts every ounce of pain and tragedy into her vocals.
The track list on Lady in Satin includes “I’m a Fool to Want You,” “For Heaven’s Sake,” “You Don’t Know What Love Is,” “I Get Along Without You Very Well,” “For All We Know,” Violets for Your Furs,” “You’ve Changed,” “It’s Easy to Remember,” “But Beautiful,” “Glad to Be Unhappy” and “I’ll Be Around.”
On Thursday, July 16th, Mardra and Reggie Thomas will perform live the complete Lady in Satin album. Mardra is a vocalist who has portrayed Holiday in concert and in staged productions. Reggie Thomas is an acclaimed pianist and organist. They won’t be working with a full orchestra and Ray Ellis’ wonderful arrangements. It will be interesting to hear how they approach this album that has critics and fan sharply divided.
The performance will take place on Jazz Record Art Collective’s Facebook page.
Jazz Stream is a new feature at Cultural Attaché. I will be posting weekly jazz updates for you under this name. Weekend events will still be part of Best Bets at Home. I hope you enjoy!
Photo of Dezron Douglas courtesy of his website.
Update: This post has been updated to correct the name of the drummer playing with Dezron Douglas. It is not Lewis Nash, but rather Victor Lewis. Cultural Attaché regrets the error.